I saw this on someone else’s blog and thought it was a great
idea. Writing down things that I love and don’t love as much about life on Ruby
Tuesday. This blog is not only for other’s to read but it is also an account of
our lives travelling around on the boat. It will give us something to read in
our dotage. Help us remember places and incidents and bring back some of the
pleasure of the journey we have done. Very sentimental I know but when I’m
sitting in my wee knitted bed jacket with my blue rinsed hair and my falsers in
a jar beside my bed and the nurse has just come back to empty the bed pan I
want to have something to show her that I wasn’t always a bedridden forgetful
old crabby woman. It’s our story.
A is for anchoring.
One of my favourite boatie things. Find a quiet spot and
drop the hook. If there’s no wind stay for a few days and recharge your
batteries. Lots of sun, sleep, food and time for maintenance. My favourite so
far is San Francisco Bay in La Graciosa – a wonderful quiet anchorage which can
hold as many boats as want to be there. It looks onto a huge sandy beach, which
is unusual in The Canaries, and little volcanoes in the background. If you are
feeling energetic a short dingy trip ashore and you can walk to the village a
couple of miles away or up one of the volcanoes. The village has no paved roads,
just sand tracks and the locals are so laid back they’re horizontal. The water
is crystal clear for swimming. Even the tourist catamarans, which appear twice
a day are just a form of entertainment. I wonder how many photographs I’ve
spoiled by sticking out my tongue as they take photos of Ruby?
Don’t get me wrong, sometimes anchoring is a challenge and
staying there can be from uncomfortable to downright unpleasant. Rolling is the
worst. If the wind has been from a particular direction for a couple of days a
swell will work up and if the anchorage is not sheltered from that direction
you are in for a disturbed night. Two anchors sometimes works but not always –
and it’s very hard work laying them, well, for Lionel it is, I just wind a bit
and make appropriate noises now and again.
However, I’ll never be put off anchoring. Surrounded by
cliffs, watching rainbows play on them, having conversations with people
fishing from canoes, watching the antics of sheep and goats on vertical paths
even avoiding intrepid swimmers. It’s a good life, drop the hook and watch the
world go by.
B is for bullshit
You would not believe the amount of bullshit you can read or
listen to about sailing and particular about cruising. Everyone is an expert
and has an opinion on every aspect of life on the ocean waves. Don’t get me
wrong, I have listened to some guys who actually know what they are talking
about and have learnt some good things from them but others: *&*%$£!!!! I
am learning to tune them out and not get angry but it’s a slow process. Sailing
is a very individual sport. Every boat is different and every owner knows how
to deal with things the best way on their boat. Yes, makes suggestions but
because it works for you doesn’t mean it will work for someone else. No one is
an expert on everything sailing. It’s worse for a woman too because male
sailors can be very sexists. Two incidents spring to mind.
We were going into a berth in Tazacote marina, no great
drama as the wind was light and we were all prepared. The skipper was taking it
slowly as usual and I was standing midships ready to throw the line to the
marineiro who was directing us. Along came this guy from the yacht next door and
started yelling that we shouldn’t throw the midships line first it should be
the spring. Now everyone ties up differently and that may be the best way to
tie up his yacht but having done this a couple of hundred times I think I know
the best way to deal with Ruby in a marina. I just carried on. He got louder
and louder so eventually I told him I was following orders from “my skipper”.
He didn’t like it. In fact we were there for a week and neither he nor his wife breathed a word to us which is unusual for boaties.
On a recent occasion a boat was coming in beside us on the
next pontoon. Lionel and I went out to help them tie up as no official seemed
to be around. Lionel caught the stern line and I took the bow one. I’ve never
seen a man move so quickly when he realised a woman was holding one of his
lines. He even trod on my foot to get to the line.
It’s still a man’s world when it comes to cruising and us
woman are supposed to be quiet, listen and pour the drinks. As for having an
opinion…….
C is for cruising
The best decision we ever made. A fantastic way to see the
world. We set off from Inverness last March and it’s been a wonderful
experience so far. Living on the boat took some adjustment, everything has to
have its place as the space is so limited. We have now just about got Ruby
organised and I can lay my hands on most things at a moment’s notice. It can be
as slow or fast paced as you want. Find an interesting place and there is
nothing stopping you stay there for days or weeks. Hit a boring coast line and
do a long passage to get away from it.
The live-aboards we have met have been an eclectic bunch.
Ranging from some young guys who are spending their student loans sailing
across the Atlantic to old men who are bobbing about the Atlantic Islands
enjoying their retirement. Most are like us, spending time out, seeing the
world in a different way. It would be so easy to arrive in some of the places
we have been to and stay there as a lot of people have done but there is still
something pushing us along to see different places. We have found ourselves
involved in a sailing community that spreads from the UK to New Zealand and
that’s not bad for two self-confessed crowd phobic people. The people that we
have met are all different, have different views on life, have different goals
but the one thing we all have is sailing. Long may we be part of this
community.
(to be continued)
